Dino Zoff, the ex-coach of Italy and a celebrated goalkeeper, has recommended that the nation’s youth disregard soccer and instead focus on watching tennis or Formula One.
A wave of criticism is sweeping across Italy this morning, stemming from the national team’s inability to qualify for the World Cup finals for the third consecutive occasion, after their play-off loss to Bosnia & Herzegovina last night. Supporters, commentators, and political figures are all voicing their opinions.
Zoff, an individual with 112 international appearances for his nation who also guided Italy to a second-place finish at Euro 2000, declined to assign responsibility to specific people. This stance was maintained even amidst extensive demands for the departures of coach Gennaro Gattuso and Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
Zoff conveyed to the ANSA news agency: “Italy’s exclusion from the World Cup? From a footballing perspective, it’s a catastrophe. Was it preventable? I prefer not to delve into that issue. Our aim was to prevent it, but we failed.
“The initial instance [of missing the World Cup] might have been attributed to misfortune, and possibly the second. However, the third? There’s nothing left to hold onto.
“Regrettably, an entire generation of youngsters has never witnessed Italy participate in the World Cup. My recommendation to them would be to follow [tennis player Jannik] Sinner or engage with Formula One alongside [Kimi] Antonelli.”
Bastoni’s expulsion complicates matters for Italy
The evening proved grim for the Azzurri squad in Zenica.
The Azzurri had been considered likely victors, poised to conclude a 12-year hiatus from the championship matches following their triumph over Northern Ireland in the semi-finals. Moise Kean’s goal in the 15th minute appeared to set them on a trajectory for a journey to North America during the upcoming summer.
However, honestly, Italy found themselves outperformed for significant durations. Their challenge was further compounded by Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal in the 41st minute.
Bosnia capitalized on the situation when Haris Tabaković equalized with 11 minutes remaining in regular play. Although Italy managed to persist into extra time and demonstrated superior play during the subsequent thirty minutes, the home side ultimately maintained their composure in the penalty shootout.
Pio Esposito sent the opening penalty kick soaring over the goal. Subsequently, after Bryan Cristante struck the crossbar with Italy’s third effort, Esmir Bajraktarevic subtly slotted Bosnia’s fourth past Gianluigi Donnarumma, thereby propelling Bosnia to their second World Cup appearance as an autonomous country.
Gravina: Do not solely fault the federation for Italy’s misfortunes
Gravina presented himself before the press following the match and asserted that problems within Italian football extended far beyond the scope of the federation.
He stated: “The current crisis is profound; [Italian] football requires a complete overhaul. The FIGC is frequently discussed as if it were the sole participant, whereas, in reality, the federation serves as the unifying entity.
“The leagues exist, as do the clubs. For this reason, a more extensive consideration is necessary to implement changes. We acknowledge being in a period of significant upheaval, demanding a thorough examination that does not rest solely on the federation’s shoulders. “
Gravina’s destiny is slated to be decided by a gathering of the FIGC Council during the upcoming week. He has requested Gattuso to continue in his role as coach, yet the ultimate verdict might be beyond his control.